1999 in Wales
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This article is about the particular significance of the year 1999 to Wales and its people.
Contents
Incumbents
- Prince of Wales – The Prince Charles
- Princess of Wales – vacant
- First Secretary - Alun Michael (from 12 May)
- Secretary of State for Wales
- Alun Michael (until 28 July)
- Paul Murphy
- Archbishop of Wales
- Alwyn Rice Jones, Bishop of St Asaph (retired)
- Rowan Williams, Bishop of Monmouth (elected)
- Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales
- Dafydd Rowlands (outgoing)
- Meirion Evans (incoming)
Events
- January
- Protesting farmers blockade the north Wales headquarters of supermarket chain Iceland.
- Opening of the St David's Hotel in Cardiff Bay, Wales's first 5-star hotel.
- February - Outbreak of meningitis in the Pontypridd area.
- March - West Wales and the Valleys is designated an Objective 1 region within the European Community.
- 6 May - First elections to the National Assembly for Wales.
- 10 May - The Queen attends a gala concert in Cardiff Bay to celebrate the opening of the Welsh Assembly.
- 25 May - Last pit pony works in the South Wales coalfield, 'Robbie' at Pant y Gasseg, Pontypool.
- June
- July - Bryncelyn Brewery begins brewing.
- December - Hyder cuts 1000 jobs after being forced to make cuts in their charges for electricity and water.
- 19 December - Charlotte Church makes her debut as a television actress in Heartbeat.
- Main construction work on Cardiff Bay Barrage completed.
Arts and literature
- Cysgod y Cryman by Islwyn Ffowc Elis is voted the most significant Welsh language book of the 20th century.
- Sir Harry Secombe suffers a second stroke, which forces him to give up his television career.
- Mary Hopkin joins The Chieftains on their UK tour.
- Dick Francis: A Racing Life, an unauthorised biography, suggests that his books were written by his wife Mary.
- Kyffin Williams is knighted for his services to the arts.
- Swansea Grand Theatre becomes the base for the Ballet Russe company.
Awards
- National Eisteddfod of Wales: Chair - Gwenallt Lloyd Ifan
- National Eisteddfod of Wales: Crown - Ifor ap Glyn
- National Eisteddfod of Wales: Prose Medal - Sonia Edwards
- Wales Book of the Year:
- English language: Emyr Humphreys - The Gift of a Daughter
- Welsh language: R. M. Jones - Ysbryd y Cwlwm: Delwedd y Genedl yn ein Llenyddiaeth
- Gwobr Goffa Daniel Owen - Ann Pierce Jones: Fflamio
New books
- Richard Booth - My Kingdom of Books
- Greg Cullen - Paul Robeson Knew My Father (play)
- Grahame Davies - Sefyll yn y Bwlch
- Paul Ferris - Infidelity
- Patrick Hannan - The Welsh Illusion
- Craig Thomas - Slipping into Shadow
Music
- Gillian Elisa - Haul ar Nos Hir (album)
- Gorky's Zygotic Mynci - Spanish Dance Troupe (album)
- Karl Jenkins - The Armed Man: a Mass for Peace
Film
- Catherine Zeta-Jones co-stars in Entrapment.
Welsh-language films
- Cymer Dy Siâr
- Porc Pei (Pork Pie)
- Solomon a Gaenor, starring Ioan Gruffudd
Broadcasting
- May - Huw Edwards begins presenting the BBC Six O'Clock News.
Welsh-language television
- Y Palmant Aur (drama)
- Yno o hyd (documentary)
- Tri Tenor - Gala concert with performances by Welsh tenors Gwyn Hughes Jones, Rhys Meirion and Timothy Richards
- Catrin Finch (documentary)
- Ponteifi (sitcom)
English-language television
- Sea of Troubles (documentary)
- House of the Future (documentary by Malcolm Parry)
- Barry Welsh is Coming (winner of the BAFTA Wales Award for Light Entertainment)
- Belonging (BBC Wales)
- The Big Picture (presented by Peter Lord)
Sport
- The Rugby Union World Cup is hosted by Wales, with the final being held at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, on 6 November. Australia are the winning team.
- UWIC Inter Cardiff are Welsh Cup winners after beating Carmarthen Town on penalties.
- Barry Town win their fourth successive League of Wales title.
- Winners of the three divisions in the Welsh Football League are: Ton Pentre (Division 1), Penrhiwceiber Rangers (Division 2) & Caerleon (Division 3).
- Flexsys Cefn Druids are champions of the Cymru Alliance.
- AFC Llwydcoed and Garden Village are promoted to the Welsh Football League.
Births
Deaths
- 3 February (in London) - Alfred Janes, artist, 87
- 8 February - Meredith Edwards, actor, 81
- 16 February - Don Hayward, Wales and British Lions international rugby player, 73
- 17 February – John Lansdown, computer graphics pioneer, 70
- 11 April - Alan Evans, darts player, 49
- 6 May - Johnny Morris, television presenter, 82
- 11 May - Robert Thomas, sculptor, 72
- 5 September - Ivor Roberts, former TWW presenter, 74
- 22 September - Clive Jenkins, trade union leader, 73
- 24 October - Howard Griffiths, screenwriter, 64
- 15 November - Sir Harry Llewellyn, equestrian champion, 88
- 27 November - Ernest Zobole, artist, 72
- 6 December - Gwyn Jones, writer, 92
- 19 December - Desmond Llewelyn, actor, 85 (car accident)
- 23 December - Eirene White, politician, 90
